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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=048484517-04102000>I vote for returning
""</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=048484517-04102000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=048484517-04102000>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=048484517-04102000>long live
EMPTY_LIST, arrays with 0 size, EMPTY_STRING, and the like
:-)</SPAN></FONT></DIV></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=048484517-04102000>in my own code I
make extensive use of NullObjects (a special instance of a
class).</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=048484517-04102000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=048484517-04102000>I always regret
later if sometimes I give semantics to the null pointer, treating it as a value,
because of the NPEs or the unnecessary complex calling code.
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=048484517-04102000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=048484517-04102000>Edo</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=048484517-04102000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
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class=048484517-04102000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV></BODY></HTML>